Alkyl carbonates form an important building block or component in many commercial products. In particular, dimethyl carbonate is a commercial methylating agent which replaces other reagents such as phosgene, iodomethane, and dimethyl sulfate. These generally are more toxic than dimethyl carbonate and less biodegradable. The alkyl carbonate in combination with other alkyl carbonates is a major component of electrolyte solutions in lithium ion batteries since the high polarity of alkyl carbonate solutions allows them to dissolve within the lithium salts. Dimethyl carbonate has been exempted from the definition of volatile organic compounds which allows fabricators to use dimethyl carbonate as coating, cleaning, and adhesive solvents as a replacement for defined volatile organic compounds. Dimethyl carbonate may replace the gasoline oxygenate methyl t-butyl ether due to its high oxygen content, biodegradability characteristics and low toxicity. The dimethyl carbonate has been found to improve combustion and emission performance when used as a diesel fuel additive.